Yes I searched prior to posting, but also things have moved on over the last few years so I am after the latest up to date advice…
I am taking my Mini 5 on a prolonged European tour later this year and part of that will be a days private boat tour in the Adriatic. This means I will be launching and landing from a moving power boat on multiple occasions, as I will be getting some decent action shots e.t.c. There is almost nothing on youtube about this, only a couple of low level sailing boat type examples, and I don’t agree with the content as it is old and a bit amateur (one guy uses his chin to start and stop the rotors etc).
I have the whole GPS and updating home point stuff covered. I am also looking to buy the image below from Amazon as it seems a no brainer. Take off I have no issue with. My only issue with landing is only around how I make it land whilst I am flying it in synch with the boat? If I fly over the deck and the drone works out that the surface is stable - how do I then land it as I will presumably still be flying it forward / sideways to maintain position with the boat - or does it work out that the ground is now stable and hover over the surface in a fixed position? Reminds me about the thread about what happens if you take off in a fast moving train carriage…
This is true - however I do want the answer if I can get it - as would be good to demonstrate my pure competence and flying prowess to get some work out there
If it is anything like my mini 4, the landing sensor will make it climb when it detects it is above a moving surface. I think you’d need to do a grab and flip landing, and that might be hindered by floats.
I did a TOAL last year from a steamship out on the Solent, T’was fun but a few squeaky bum moments! However there were hand grabs attached to the drone which helped massively on its return.
Take off is easy, straight up from a flat surface away from vessel / downwind depending on movement.
Had thought of practicing with flat bed or similar but don’t know anyone that has one. But why can’t you fly it back into the boat and keep it over a flat part, then just lower - or will that not work when you are also moving “with it” so to speak? Got that vid on my watch list already.
Last video I saw the guy grabbed the float / frame holding the float and flipped it over. Worked a treat. Had a lanyard so could drop the controller. Best method I have seen so far.
Firstly - horizonal speed. It will immediately try to be stationary with respect to the world .. NOT the boat. So there’s a good probability that before you can get the speed right it will be going backwards, relative to the boat, at the boat’s speed. So, NEVER launch with ANYTHING between the drone and the stern of the boat.
Secondly - boats bob up and down. Once you’ve started the motors, as soon as there’s any downward motion the drone will try to hover. Just an inch or two of movement is enough. And, of course, it will attempt to hover stationary to the world, not the boat. So, again it will be zipping off to stern.
Had you bothered to search, you’d have found some things are STILL very relevant. This post, and the subsequent one, show how little bobbing movement is needed for this potentially dangerous situation to occur, possibly endangering other occupants of the boat.
Unless the motors stop the moment you land .. you can be back into the bobbing boat scenario and it will be off again.
So .. simple rule for launching and landing from a small boat .. stand/sit at the very back of the boat, no rigging/superstructure aft of you, and hand launch/land.
And by small, I mean one that has vertical motion of more than an inch or so, but I’d still be at the very stern of the boat .. to make sure.
i tried launching off the research ship (it was a big ship and i was using the helideck) i was on when it was sailing at around 7knots …have to say the mini4 pro didnt like it was struggling to pick up satellite’s and home point was moving so it really didnt like when it took off, had a bit of a hissy fit and struggled to get it to fly back to the ship before guy helping tried to hand catching with a slight tumble to the deck (no damage at least)
Would definitely recommend trying it at much slower boat speed for take off and landing
If you’ve never taken off from a moving vessel before, Take it from me who did it from a much larger slower vessel with a strong head wind, It’s not as easy as you think.
I seem to recall, the DJI CR doesn’t cover incidents outside of country where the CR was initially registered, but I may be wrong. Check the terms and conditions
I have managed to do this from a moving boat, albeit a canal boat, so there was no bobbing about. The method I used was to turn off ‘Vision Positioning’ (the downward sensors) in the Safety/Advanced Safety Settings. This removes the ‘pause then land’ action when holding down the stick for landing. It also means the drone comes straight down and very hard if you aren’t careful, so practice on land before attempting. This worked for both deck landings and hand captures.
Thanks guys - all worthy advice and taken on board (no pun).
I watched that video posted above and that did at least answer the question. TO fine, AL not possible, and that was what I needed to know.
Re TO - have read and understood the messages. I still maintain that in S and a fast upward launch away from obstacles will work fine. I trust my judgement and accept the risk. For those that have not watched the vid, did you know the Mini 4 / 5 works out it is moving before take off and presents a warning message? Interesting stuff.
Re AL. V different.
I am going to test this (and share a vid) but basically, S mode so all sensors off, grab and turn over 180 degrees. On a boat, put drone in front, drive up to it and grab. I plan to mimic this by reversing the drone to me in the garden and doing the same thing. Grab and twist. What can go wrong?
